Science and Skepticism: Amid a Push for More STEM Training, Many Reject Key Elements of Science

By Gary WhiteTHE LEDGER

Saturday

Dec 21, 2013 at 10:08 PM

In recent years, elected officials have made the term STEM — an acronym for "science, technology, engineering and math" — the most-used buzzword in the state's education circles.

Lately, science seems as hot as the azure flame surging from a Bunsen burner.In recent years, Florida Gov. Rick Scott and other elected officials have made the term STEM — an acronym for "science, technology, engineering and math" — the most-used buzzword in the state's education circles.In Lakeland, a new university is rising along Interstate 4, symbolized by a main building whose design seems both futuristic and fossil-like. The very mission of Florida Polytechnic University, scheduled to open next fall, is "to educate students emphasizing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ..."Meanwhile, America's leading publisher of dictionaries, Merriam-Webster, chose "science" as its 2013 word of the year. Merriam-Webster's editors cited a 176-percent increase in searches for the word and cited "heated debates about 'phony' science, or whether science held all the answers."That explanation for the publisher's choice points to a paradox: Even as politicians and educational leaders pledge allegiance to science, many Americans are skeptical about key tenets of scientific orthodoxy. On such issues as human evolution, the formation and age of the universe and, more recently, climate change, many Americans reject the dominant views of the scientific community.Some examples of the disconnect:In a 2008 survey of Floridians by the Tampa Bay Times, only 22 percent of respondents said public schools should teach an evolution-only curriculum, and 50 percent wanted only faith-based theories, such as creationism or intelligent design taught.A Pew Research Center poll from 2009 found fewer than a third of those sampled accepted the idea that humans evolved through natural processes, while 31 percent rejected the theory of evolution outright.Top climate scientists issued a report in September saying the evidence that climate change is a real, man-made threat is as convincing as the evidence that cigarettes cause fatal illnesses. Yet a Pew poll from earlier this year found only 42 percent of respondents believed the earth is warming mostly as a result of human activities that produce greenhouse gases.Some scientists and cultural critics see a dangerous trend at work. Science journalist Michael Specter wrote a book called "Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet, and Threatens Our Lives," criticized such disparate tendencies as claims that vaccinations cause autism, bans on genetically modified foods and the embrace of supposed herbal treatments over traditional medicine.If enough parents shun inoculations for their children out of fear of an autism link or other scientifically dubious concerns, Specter argues, then the effectiveness of vaccinations for society as a whole is reduced.And if citizens and politicians discount the accumulating evidence on climate change and fail to make changes, many scientists assert, the result will be a catastrophically changed planet.Paul Cottle, a longtime physics professor at Florida State University, said deep skepticism toward science carries other costs."In a technological society, having half the population with such a profound distrust of science, it does seem like it would be an economic disadvantage," Cottle said. "So I wish there was something we could do about it, but it's not clear to me you can educate your way out of that. You can't fix that in the classrooms of public schools. These are beliefs that are implanted in families, and it's not clear there's anything the rest of us can do about it."Gov. Scott's push for more funding of STEM education led him in 2011 to say, "We don't need a lot more anthropologists in the state." Scott is aligned with the conservative tea party political group. A poll in 2011 found that roughly 50 percent of those identifying themselves with the tea party rejected the science behind both evolution and global warming.The Ledger requested Scott's personal views on evolution, the Big Bang theory, the age of the universe and human-caused global warming.Scott did not answer the questions. Instead, a spokesman emailed a general statement reading in part: "In order to grow more opportunities for Florida families to succeed, we must invest in programs that will diversify our economy and create jobs for future generations. Governor Scott has been a consistent advocate for STEM education as a path for Florida students finding great jobs."

PRAISING SCIENCE, BUT ... About a dozen people interviewed from around Polk County almost unanimously said they consider science to have a mostly positive effect on our society. But their outlooks diverged on such matters as evolution, the age of the earth, global warming, and the compatibility of science and religion.Carol Murray of Winter Haven and Loren Smith of Haines City represent differing viewpoints on science.When asked about her trust in science, Murray said, "My belief is in my Lord and savior and the heavenly father because I'm a walking miracle right now."Murray, 62, said she was in a vehicle accident that left her with six herniated discs, and she said God had healed all of the discs. Murray said she respects the work of doctors but credits God for her recovery."I've worked in hospitals, and there's a lot of times people come out of, things they shouldn't have come out of and they (doctors) can never explain it," Murray said, "and I say it's God's will."Murray, who is retired, roundly rejects the notion that humans evolved over millennia from ape-like ancestors. The theory of evolution, developed over a century and a half by scientists through observation and research, has consensus acceptance in the scientific world and is part of the required science curriculum in Florida's public schools."On the one hand, you've got kids going to Sunday school, and they're telling them that God created them, and then they go back to public school and they're being taught that man evolved from an ape," Murray said. "No wonder the kids have problems."Smith, 51, identified himself as an atheist and voiced strong acceptance of prevailing scientific theories, including evolution.Asked about the effect of science on society, Smith said, "Definitely positive. Most people don't know it, but it has a positive effect."Smith, a computer consultant, said he considers science and religious belief incompatible."Are there people who claim to be religious and are also scientists? Yes, but they haven't thought things through," Smith said. "I studied from a biology professor who claimed to be a Christian, and she got mad at me when I told her she was a fool. She didn't like me after that."Academic figures say skepticism toward science reflects misunderstandings about how science works and confusion about the way scientists use such terms as "theory" and "hypothesis."Russell Betts, dean of the College of Science at Illinois Institute of Technology, said hostility toward science often comes down to questions of "thinking versus believing." Whereas science ideally is a dispassionate quest for understanding, Betts said those who attack scientific theories usually have differing agendas."The general public often takes scientists' willingness to change their viewpoint as a weakness, as if that means they are fundamentally not reliable," Betts said. "But science doesn't claim to be absolute. "It's always open to change as new and better results become available. Largely, these changes are incremental; but sometimes, there's a paradigm shift, often dramatic, as new evidence becomes available. Versus belief, which is what it is — unchangeable. That's one of its characteristics."

COMPLEXITY IS CONFUSINGBetts, formerly a senior physicist at Argonne National Laboratory, said humans have a natural preference for simple explanations over more complex ones. But complexity is the hallmark of life."I think it's only human that presented between something that's simple and something that's complicated, the simple thing has an advantage," he said.Cottle, the FSU professor, said reactions against science reflect a more general backlash against intellectualism in America."I think it's just one aspect of a broader problem — that we have lost respect for expertise," Cottle said. "The idea that somebody else might be an expert and you should listen to them is simply not in vogue."Cottle lamented the tendency to treat scientific theories as the equivalent of opinions. He said some students arrive at FSU without understanding the empirical method."One of the things people need to get used to is that the habit of mind of a scientist is to sort of look at scientific evidence and draw conclusions from that independent of your other beliefs," he said. "Students who come to us and don't really have that habit of mind sometimes become disoriented and run into trouble."In a way, the technological advancements science has produced might play a role in undermining Americans' confidence in science. The proliferation of home computers and the development of the Internet have spawned a trove of information and advice on medical matters, much of it highly suspect.Even when the sources are credible, the information we receive can make us wonder how reliable science is. An obvious example is the reporting of medical and nutritional news.Every day seems to bring reports that some food once considered harmful is actually beneficial — or vice versa. There was a time when medical authorities warned that eating eggs, which are high in cholesterol, was bad for the heart. More recently, researchers say the cholesterol effect had been overstated and that eggs contain nutrients that actually lower the risk of heart disease.Coffee, chocolate, red wine — plenty of foods once considered harmful are now promoted as healthful, at least in certain doses. Betts said people should keep in mind that the human body is astoundingly complex and that cause and effect are not always clear, leading scientists to revise their theories as new research arises.Cottle acknowledged scientists sometimes hurt their cause by coming across as inflexible. He said that typically happens when non-scientists challenge a theory without understanding the details involved.The prime example is the theory of evolution. Though ample evidence exists to support the theory, gaps still exist. Fossil records have not yet been discovered for some animals that served as transitional species between known species, leaving a "missing link," in the phrase used by skeptics.Scientists say the absence of complete proof does not disprove a scientific theory, whether it's evolution or another matter. Cottle said a lack of absolute certainty is part of science, but he said scientists get defensive when skeptics cite uncertainties as proof the entire theory is wrong."When scientists feel that they are being attacked from the outside, they tend to get into a mode where they deny that there are open questions," Cottle said. "In all our science, we have open questions. ... "The big mistake scientists make is when they're being attacked by somebody from the outside that they don't feel is informed, a politician or somebody else, they can throw their back up and say, 'No, no, all the questions are answered,' when in fact that's not true. I see it in evolution all the time."

FAITH SHADES VIEWSReligious belief is perhaps the main factor that causes some Americans to reject scientific explanations for the formation and age of the universe and the development of humans. Christians who regard the Bible as a literally accurate description of history see a direct conflict to their faith in what are now accepted as scientific truths: The universe originated with a single, dense point that exploded into an ever-expanding universe that includes our solar system. The universe and the earth are billions of years old. Primitive life forms evolved through natural selection over millennia to become modern humans.The theory of evolution states that today's humans share a common ancestor with apes.Those who consider the Bible a literally true historical account say humans have existed in their present form since the creation of life. And they estimate the Earth's age at 6,000 to 10,000 years, based on biblical genealogies, rather than 4.5 billion years, the scientific consensus.Religious orientation shapes many people's opinions about evolution. A poll by the Pew Research Center from 2009 found that 55 percent of evangelical Protestants said humans have existed in their present form since time began, and only 10 percent of them said evolution has occurred through natural processes.The poll found that 26 percent of mainline Protestants and 27 percent of Catholics agreed that humans have always existed in their present form. Only 11 percent of Americans with no religious affiliation shared that outlook, the Pew Research Center reported.Geraldine Watson of Bartow is among those who can't accept the scientific consensus about human evolution. Watson, 78, teaches a Sunday school class once a month at St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Bartow, and she regards the passages in the book of Genesis as literally true.If God created humans at the beginning of time, she said, that means the theory of evolution is wrong."That's the way it was in the Bible, and that's what I study," Watson said. "I don't see anything that contradicts it. ... I don't believe that (theory of evolution) ... I don't see how they can prove that."Many of those interviewed, though, said they see no conflict between science and religion. That group included Spencer Brandon, a student at Florida Southern College."I'm not religious myself, but I know a lot of professors at my school and a lot of great scientists in history have been religious, so I think the divide between the two is very artificial," said Brandon, a math and philosophy major from Massachusetts.Theodore Becker of Lakeland hesitated when asked whether faith and science are compatible. It just depends on whom you ask, said Becker, 64, a retired business owner. "If it's my brother, it's incompatible. If it's my ex-wife, then it's somewhat compatible."As for his own opinion about the origins of the universe, Becker said: "It's unknown how it was created or what created the universe, or did it happen on its own."Bob Kelly of Winter Haven paused for nearly a minute when asked if he accepts the theory of evolution."I'm not sure," Kelly, 64, finally answered. "I believe in a creator. I just don't believe all this here is just here. Something created it; something supreme created it. Now, in some ways that might conflict with science, but on the other hand, I went to college; I know science. It makes sense most of the time."Rebecca Walton of Lakeland said she thinks religion and science "go hand in hand." "They explain different things, or different aspects of things," said Walton, 27. "Neither one can explain everything fully."

LITERAL OR POETIC?Walton, a Southeastern University graduate who attends a United Methodist church, said she has come to regard the creation story in Genesis as "poetic" rather than literally true. She said she can accept the idea of the Big Bang theory but believes God caused the violent explosion billions of years ago that transformed a single point in space into an ever-expanding universe.Though she accepts the general idea that species adapt to their environments, Walton said she's skeptical about the idea that humans developed from primitive organisms."Species change over time — that's pretty easy to observe — but the idea that fish grew legs and turned into monkeys and monkeys turned into people, that's pretty far-fetched," she said. "There's a lot of evidence missing. ... But if someone were to prove it, it wouldn't change my faith because as far as I'm concerned God could have used evolution as a way of creating thing. I don't think he did, but he could."Joseph White of Lakeland said he rejects evolution as a theory that lacks proof. White, 27, said he is unsure how compatible science and faith can be."I'm kind of in the middle of a confusing time in my life right now and trying to decide," he said. "I was raised Christian, but the older I get the more I get into critical thinking. I'm just questioning everything. I read a lot of science, and it kind of conflicts with the way I was raised."White, who recently earned an associate of arts degree, said both religious and scientific descriptions of the world require a certain leap of faith."I hear people say it's wrong to credit evolution or whatever, but then they believe a religion that they can't prove, either," he said. "I think it's kind of hypocritical."Ryan Granger of Fort Meade said he thinks the evidence supporting the theory of evolution is convincing. But he questioned whether scientists can accurately determine the age of the universe, and he scoffed at the notion that it all emerged from a single point of matter."The Big Bang theory is the craziest thing I've ever heard of," said Granger, 25. "They say something came out of nothing?"Granger, a former Marine who works for a building-supply company, said he considers science essential to progress and generally accepts the determinations of scientists."If somebody were to truly disregard science and evolution, that would limit what kind of advancements can be made with medicine and understanding the way the human body works," he said.Some of those interviewed said schools should include alternative theories about the origin and development of life. Such theories, typically called creation science or intelligent design, conform to a literal interpretation of biblical narratives."I think they should include alternatives, not just one (theory), and they should get into discussions of it and not just say that theory is it," Watson said. "They've got to look at the pros and cons of it."The Florida Department of Education, which sets the curriculum standards for public schools, does not include those alternative theories in its science benchmarks. Biblically based narratives are incorporated into science teaching at some private, religiously affiliated schools, such as Lakeland Christian School.Lithia resident Jonathan Smith, vice president of Florida Citizens for Science, said some Americans are illogical in rejecting certain elements of science while accepting the rest."You don't hear people talking about, 'We don't believe in gravity; we don't believe in germ theory,' or stuff like that," Smith said. "But evolution probably conflicts with people's religious beliefs, and so does climate change. ... "We use our cell phones, we drive in our computerized cars, we rely on antibiotics — anything science can provide for us, as long as it's convenient. If it's anything that might alter your view of the world, particularly from a religious perspective, they reject it."

[ Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. He blogs about tourism at http://tourism.blogs.theledger.com and about books at http://ledgerlit.blogs.theledger.com. ]

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